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(Yes, this is a copy and paste from my cooking livejournal. Another one of those dinner parties for 10.) There weren't really defined courses this time, just little tasty dishes brought out at intervals during the evening. This list is in rough order of serving. * Marinaded black and green olives (bought ready-made). * Hummous: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/hummous.html * Baba ghanoush - bake three aubergines, whole, until soft. Cool, chop, and puree with tahini, squeezy garlic, and lemon juice. * Spanish almonds: http://www.foodiesite.com/recipes/2000-06/spalmonds.jsp * Falafel (made from a mix). * Pitta bread: http://web.archive.org/web/20010613202144/saudichef.terrashare.com/bread.html#Pita * Stuffed vine leaves: http://www.lebaneserecipes.f9.co.uk/StuffedVineLeaves.htm * Taleggio (at room temperature) and feta (chilled), cut into bite-size pieces and served with cocktail sticks. * Chickpea, red onion and orange salad with fresh mint. * Quinoa with green beans: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/quinoa-with-green-beans.html (left out the basil, served at room temperature). * Okra in tomato and dill sauce: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/okra-tomato-dill.html * Patatas bravas - cubed potatoes roasted in olive oil with squeezy garlic, paprika and chilli powder. * Spinach (chopped and cooked) and feta (crumbled) wrapped in filo pastry brushed with groundnut oil. * Meatballs in almond sauce: http://www.marga.org/food/int/andalusia/meatballs.html (with a lot more almonds than the recipe specifies, and using ready-made meatballs). * Vegetarian moussaka: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/veg-moussaka.html (used grated carrot instead of the green lentils, since Marcus doesn't like pulses, and yogurt instead of the soya topping, because it was less faff). * Gazpacho: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/gazpacho.html (left out the cucumber, served in shot glasses). Pretty much everything was done in advance. I fried the falafel just as the first people were arriving, since they're best fresh. I started baking the pittas when most people were here, and served them as they came out of the oven in batches (they only take 9 minutes to bake). I reheated the okra in the microwave. I roasted the potatoes in advance until nearly done, then reheated them in the oven just before serving. Same with the spinach and feta pastries. I cooked the meatballs up to the point where I put the ground almond mixture in, and then cooked it further just before serving. The moussaka I assembled in advance and then just shoved in the oven. I had Greek yogurt and dark Greek honey and chopped nuts for dessert, but nobody really wanted any, since as usual I'd made too much food. The moussaka didn't get much of a look in, since most people were full by then. It seems that even very full people can manage to fit meatballs in, though. I didn't make enough potatoes, but then there are never enough potatoes. The falafel were a bit flat. I put too much water in the mixture and so they didn't keep their shape in the oil. I forgot to get around to eating any, but they went so they must have been OK. The vine leaves were a great success. A little squashed, since I put a bit too much weight on top when I was cooking them, but very good. And the recipe makes loads, so I have plenty left over. I'd not been looking forward to making the potatoes (done-ness and hot-ness faff), the pittas (don't like handling soft doughs) or the spinach-feta pastries (I had some irrational idea that filo is tricky to work with - it isn't), but they all came off perfectly smoothly. I've decided I like serving chilled soup in shot glasses. I would have served the gazpacho earlier, but I forgot about it. Later on I made gin fizzes: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/gin-fizz.html Kake
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